


Euphoria

by Purple_ducky00



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Innuendo, M/M, Massage, Self-Esteem Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:20:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24932911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purple_ducky00/pseuds/Purple_ducky00
Summary: Tony hasn't gotten a massage in so long, he forgets how they work. But he IS sure of one thing - one isn't supposed to fall in love with their massage therapist... right? Right?
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson
Comments: 17
Kudos: 78
Collections: Iron Man Big Bang 2019/2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Trashcanakin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trashcanakin/gifts).



> Art is done by the amazing Trashcanakin!

"Oh my go-oh-ohsh.” Tony groans internally, feeling the tension melt away. His massage therapist has magic fingers.

When he had arrived for his appointment for a full-body massage, the receptionist had apologized saying the only free therapist was an amputee with a prosthetic arm. 

“Is that ok, Mr. Stark? I am so sorry. You’re marked down as Potts…” The pretty blonde rambles.

“That’s ok. I don’t discriminate as long as it feels good. And to be hired here, you must be.” Tony smiles at her, seeing her visibly relax. 

“Thank you so much! Again, I am sorry for the mix up. If you could follow me, please.” 

Tony follows her down the hall to a big room. “If you could please strip to your comfort level and fold your clothes on the chair, you can then get on the bed and put the towel on.” The receptionist’s name tag reads “Sharon.”

“Thank you Sharon. I can do that.” He smiles again at her to try to ease her flustered discomfort. He quickly undresses, folding his clothes neatly on the provided chair. Tony’s on the bed with the towel over his rear when there’s a knock on the door. 

A rich, deep voice asks, “Are you ready for me to come in?”

Tony imagines the cheap, porny music starting. Grinning to himself, he sits and wraps the towel around his waist “Yes. I am ready.” 

The door opens and _By Jove_ the sexiest man Tony has EVER SEEN walks through the door. Shoulder length chocolate hair that looks perfectly conditioned, broad shoulders, and a beautiful, chiseled face, this man checks off every box on Tony’s physical attraction list. He prays he doesn’t get aroused because what a conversation to have (or not have – he is perfectly fine with not having it) with your massage therapist. 

“Hi, I’m Bucky,” the man says. “I will be your massage therapist today. I am sorry that there was no one else available.”

Schooling his inner self, Tony waves him off and smirks unaffectedly. “Nah you’re good. I don’t care as long as I can get rid of this stress.” He pops his back as a reference.

Bucky smiles. “That I can help with. Please lie down with your stomach on the bed.” Tony quickly complies. 

Had Sharon not told him, he wouldn’t have even been able to tell that Bucky’s hand is fake. He uses oil and rubs it into Tony’s skin, pushing his thumbs firmly into Tony’s tired muscles. The music and the smell of the oil calm Tony’s racing mind in record time. He wants to moan obscenely because this massage just feels… so. good. Definitely better than most sex he’s had, and he’s had _a lot_ of sex. 

Bucky takes his elbow and works it down Tony’s back muscles then kneads his shoulders and arms. The pure euphoria of this session is overwhelming. Bucky places hot stones on his back and starts working down his rear end to his legs. Strangely enough, it doesn’t feel sexual. It. Just. Feels. Good. 

And can this man give a foot massage! Tony feels the pressure in the arches of his feet just melt away. He is sure when his two hours are up, he will be completely boneless. This guy is for sure getting a 50% tip. Tony’s so relaxed you could get him to agree to anything. He thinks he’s slipped in and out of consciousness several times due to the pure pleasure racing through him. 

At the end of his two hours, Bucky tells him, “You’re done now, I hope you enjoyed it.” He pauses when Tony groans out a “Ye-eh-eh-es.” “You can get dressed and when you’re ready, you can pay up front. Sharon should be up there. If you leave a tip, leave it with her. Thank you for your business and please remember to drink lots of water.” He leaves rather quickly. 

Tony is too blissed out to care at the time. He gets up, gets dressed, and walks out to the front desk. He pays Sharon and adds on a huge tip. “Thank you so much Sharon. Please know I will be back. I had a great experience.”

She smiles brightly at him. “Thank you so much, Mr. Stark!”

Art by [Trashcanakin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trashcanakin/pseuds/Trashcanakin)


	2. Chapter 2

Bucky used to be a great massage therapist. Then he was involved in a drunk driving accident (he was not drunk, the other driver was) and he lost his arm. Luckily enough, he was able to get a Stark prosthetic fairly quickly. Stark knows what he’s doing – Bucky can _feel_ with his new arm! His left arm is a touch heavier than his right, but everything else is just so exemplary he barely even notices. 

After a few months of physical therapy, Bucky is able to use his left arm and get back to work. He owns his own business called Loving Hands. However, when he does get back, most people are wary of his arm. He takes a few of his regulars, but they either don’t come back or request another therapist. Bucky understands; he doesn’t want to accidentally hurt them. He backs away from his job and works on the management end of the business.

This doesn’t help his insecurities, needless to say. He hates that he was driving on that road that night when the drunker-than-a-dog-on-whisky driver lost control. Bucky was stuck in his car for an hour or more. There are days he just HATES his arm. He wishes he could be whole again so that he can do the thing he loves.

Bucky is surprised, then, when Sharon comes in, panicking. “Bucky, I’m sorry to bother you, but _Tony Stark_ is here, and we don’t have any open therapists.”

“Didn’t he make an appointment?”

“Yes. But it’s under Potts’ and he’s 20 minutes late. I had no idea…” Sharon’s breathing quickens. 

“Shar… relax. Ask him if he minds if I do it. If he does, I’ll pull in a favor with Nat. She owes me.” **_This isn’t going to be good_**. Bucky thinks. Tony Stark is so dang attractive, and he’s going to see the man mostly nude. **_No problem at. All. Heh._**

Sharon comes back in. “He’s ok with you. I put him in room 8B.”

Bucky waits a few minutes, then makes his way to 8B. He knocks on the door. “Are you ready for me to come in?”

Tony's well-known voice calls out. “Yes. I am ready.”

He walks in to see Tony Stark, naked – with only a towel around his waist, sitting on his massage bed. 

“Hi, I’m Bucky.” He extends his right hand. Hopefully Stark doesn’t realize how sweaty his hand is. “I will be your massage therapist today. I’m sorry that there was no one else available.”

Stark takes his hand and smiles. “Nah, you’re good. I don’t care as long as I can get rid of this stress.” He stretches – so, SO sexy – and pops his back. 

Smiling through the embarrassment of getting turned on by what is supposed to be an impersonal experience, Bucky gestures toward the bed. “That I can help with. Please lie down with your stomach on the bed.”

**_Alright, let's see if I remember how to do this._** Bucky reads Tony's health chart. **_I don't want to hurt him._** He drips the warming oil onto Stark's shoulders and upper back. He firmly presses his thumbs into the muscles by his spinal cord, moving them up and down. He still marvels sometimes how the prosthetic feels like his original arm. Taking care not to press too hard - Stark did not order a deep-tissue- he runs his thumbs straight up Tony's spinal cord. Stark lets out a barely audible sigh. 

Bucky gently pulls the meat of Tony's back into his hands, then lets go and runs his thumbs over the area. He moves up to the shoulders and lower neck. Taking a firm grip over Stark's shoulders, Bucky slides his thumbs up between the shoulder blades of his client until he reaches the base of Tony's hair. He can feel Tony shake as the feeling races down his spine. Stark sighs again in ecstasy. 

As he makes his way down Tony's back, Bucky places hot stones on the areas finished. He can feel Stark go boneless under his hands. When it comes to the rear end, Bucky has trouble remembering the company policy. Stark's hindquarters are so scrumptious, he kind of wants to take a bite out of them. But no, he must work his way down Tony's sides, never going near the gluteal cleft. Tony squirms a bit when he gets to the upper thighs, but Bucky doesn't believe it's from discomfort. 

Bucky starts on the feet. Is it weird that he's surprised Stark _doesn't_ get pedicures? He begins by rubbing the warm oil into the feet. A worn pumice stone is next to remove dead skin without causing any pain or discomfort. Bucky then takes each foot in both hands and presses in his thumbs, moving them slowly up the extremity. Tony moans loudly at this, causing Bucky to blush. **_Good thing these rooms are soundproofed._**

Throughout the massage, Bucky is happy to know Stark likes it. He’s already, albeit unknowingly, let out a few obscene moans. He’s drifting in and out, completely euphoric. Bucky is used to this type of reaction – not to brag, he used to be THAT GOOD. But it’s unnerving when you have People’s Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for the last three years lying before you. 

A little over the two-hour mark, Bucky finishes. “Yo-you're done now. I hope you enjoyed it.” **_I sure did._**

Tony moans “Ye-eh-eh-eh-ES.” 

Nope. That does it. Bucky has to get out of this room. And now before Tony SEES. “You can get dressed and when you’re ready, you can pay up front. Sharon should be up there. If you leave a tip, please leave it with her. Thank you for your business and please remember to drink lots of water.” He waits a moment for Tony’s reply (or lack thereof) and leaves quickly.

Walking briskly back to his office, he sits and starts a breathing exercise to calm his… nerves, yea that’s what it is. His nerves. In. Out. In. Out. This continues until he deems himself ok enough to go to the front desk. 

Sharon smirks when she sees him. “Hey Boss. You okay?”

“Shut up.” Bucky glares at her. “So, what’d he say?”

“He said you were the hottest masseuse he’s ever gotten. He wants to know where you live.”

“ _What_?” Seeing her stupid smirk again, Bucky punches her lightly on the shoulder. “You’re the worst.”

“I’m kidding. He tipped you $500, man. And he said he’ll be back. So you did good. Stop being a worrywart.” 


	3. Chapter 3

Three months after his first massage, Tony schedules his second, asking for "Bucky."

The receptionist - was her name Wanda? - says "I don't think he takes people, but I can check his schedule. Please hold." Three minutes later, she is back on the phone "He can take you Thursday at 11am. Appointments may be cancelled if you are over twenty minutes late."

"Thank you, Wanda. I will be there." Was it him, or did she sound a little snippy? He shrugs. **_Some people just aren't fans._**

Tony does manage to arrive at 11 on the dot on Thursday. He will not let them cancel this appointment. Sharon is at the front desk again. Her face brightens when he walks in the door. "Mr. Stark! Welcome! We have your room ready for you. Come with me." She leads him back to the same room he had been in the last time. "Let me get Bucky for you."

Same as before, there is a knock on the door, and Bucky's deep voice asks. "Are you ready for me to come in?"

"Yes. I am ready." In any other situation, Tony would've flirted, but because this industry gets the reputation it does, and Tony really wants this massage, he tries to stay in his therapist's good graces. 

Bucky opens the door and comes in. "Good morning, Mr. Stark. How are you today?"

"I'm doing wonderful now that I'm here. And please, call me Tony. I'd rather **not** think of my dad right now."

"Okayyy… Tony. Whenever you are ready, lie down on your stomach. I'll ready the oil." Bucky turns his back to Tony who takes a moment to admire the man's back. 

**_At least I'm only getting a back and foot massage._** Tony muses. **_It's probably not the smartest idea to book a massage from the hottest guy I've ever seen._**

When Bucky turns around, Tony is lying face down on the bed. Tony starts to relax as he gets to work, but the genius can tell there's a problem. Bucky doesn't seem as sure of himself this time. And his arm sounds funny. 

Don't get him wrong, this massage is still the second-best he's ever had, but Tony feels bad for Bucky. It sounds like his arm really hurts him. When his appointment is finished, Tony thanks Bucky. "Before you go, I just want to say thank you. You left pretty quickly last time."

"Sorry. You're very welcome. I hope you enjoyed it." Bucky shifts from foot to foot.

"Am I too forward in asking if your arm is ok? It sounded like a couple gears were grinding." 

Bucky grimaces. "It's ok, just a little sore. Happens every so often."

"Is that a Stark Prosthetic?" When Bucky nods, Tony continues, "That should not be doing that. Come by SI - I can fix it for you."

Bucky holds his arm out as Tony hops off the bed, "No, I couldn't. I don't want to impose…"

"Nuh-uh-uh." Tony interrupts, pulling a card out of his wallet. "Here, bring this with you. It'll give you clearance to my lab. If I'm not there, which is like never, have someone page me. Thank you very much for this massage. I definitely needed it."

Bucky takes the card, looking dazed. "Right. Thank you. I'll… I'll go out so you can dress." He backpedals out of the room.

Tony dresses, gives Sharon the tip, and tells her, "Tell Bucky I look forward to seeing him." He leaves with a smile on his face and excitement in his heart. 


	4. Chapter 4

When Wanda tells him that Tony Stark is booking another appointment with him, Bucky has mixed emotions. He is happy he left such a great impression that Stark would come back so soon, but he is afraid that he'll slip up at some point. 

Wanda curls her lip in distaste when she sees his excitement. "I know he's a customer, but really? He's a narcissistic, filthy-rich piece of crap. He has all that money, and what does he do with it? Spend it on other rich people! I don't understand why people think celebrities are so awesome."

Bucky doesn't fault her for it. Most celebrities that have come here were extremely rude and thought they should have uber-special treatment. But America has its idols. And normal people will spend too much of their hard-earned money to do what the celebs do. As a businessman, Bucky needs his business to have good celebrity reviews. The stars get their egos stroked. Everyone is happy, and Bucky gets more business.

Tony Stark is also Bucky's celebrity crush. The man is hotter than the sun itself, he _himself_ made Bucky's arm, and he left Bucky with a good first impression. The man oozes rich man vibes, but he's also nice and considerate. Bucky doesn't know how else to describe it, but Tony Stark… whew! He could drive himself crazy sticking to this topic.

Bucky wakes up Thursday morning feeling unbalanced. There's some soreness in his left arm that he hasn't felt for a while. He hears some light grinding, as if his arm needs some lubricant. He feels a little discombobulated and even thinks about telling Sharon he won't be in, but then he remembers Tony. **_I can't let him down. I'll just be more careful._**

The session starts out like it had before - Bucky waits until Stark is ready. He drips the oil and starts to massage it into Mr. Stark "Call me Tony" 's back. Something seizes up in his arm and emits a loud grinding sound. Bucky hesitates to see if Tony reacts. When he doesn't, Bucky presses on, moving a little more carefully than before. 

When the massage is finished, Bucky moves to bail like he had done before, but Stark stops him. "Before you go, I just want to say thank you. You left pretty quickly last time." 

Bucky grimaces internally. "Sorry. You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it." He shifts from foot-to-foot to make a move to leave, but Stark speaks up again.

"Am I too forward in asking if your arm is ok? It sounds like a couple of gears were grinding."

"It's ok. Just a little sore. It happens from time to time."

"Is that a Stark Prosthetic?" Bucky nods. "That should not be doing that. Come by SI. I'll fix it for you." 

Tony starts to get up, and Bucky extends his right arm as if to stop him. "No I couldn't. I wouldn't want to impose…"

"Nuh-uh-uh." Stark grabs his wallet and hands him a card. "Here, bring this with you. It'll give you clearance to my lab. If I'm not there, which is like never, have someone page me. Thank you very much for this massage. I definitely needed it."

For the second time that day, Bucky feels befuddled. "Right. Thank you. Now I'll leave so you can get… dressed." He backs out the door. **_Swing past Stark. Industries. He wants me to swing past_** ** _Stark Industries_** ** _?_**

Sharon narrows her eyes when he makes his way to her desk. "Why is he 'looking forward to seeing you'? _You_ warned _me_ about this kind of stuff."

"He… offered to tune up my arm. Basically demanded that I go to SI asap." Bucky is still a little dazed.

Wanda snorts. "I wouldn't go. He's a bit much."

"But it's Stark. Industries. Like, my dream is to take a tour there."

"Don't go immediately. Maybe go tomorrow?" Sharon suggests. "You don't have any appointments, and we can hold shop." 

"I… I'll think about it."


	5. Chapter 5

At 11:00 am Friday morning, Bucky decides he will go to SI. He pulls into a parking spot, wipes his sweaty hand on his pant leg, and walks up to the door. A guard asks for identification; Bucky pulls out his ID and the card Tony gave him. Two seconds later, he is inside the building. That in itself is exciting for Bucky. He feels his blood pumping, a wave of exhilaration washes over him. 

The lady at the front desk waves him over. Embarrassed, he tucks away his excitement and approaches the desk. Her tag reads "Bambi". "Hello, Sir. How can I help you today?"

"Hi, ummm… this is probably going to sound fake, but Tony Stark gave me this card and asked me to come. He wants to check up on my prosthetic." 

Bambi smiles at him warmly. "You wouldn't know what Tony Stark gets up to on an average workday. As long as you have the card, we won't question it. Let me see where he is." She picks up the phone. 

Two minutes later, a burly guy in a suit arrives. "He's in the lab."

"Thank you Happy. Can you take this Mr. Barnes to go see him? Mr. Stark requested that he come."

This "Happy" looks him over and finds him lacking, but nods to Bambi. "I can do that. Come on, sir." 

Bucky walks beside Happy, looking all around him, marveling at the building. Happy asks him."So what's your business here?"

**_So much for no questions._** "I have a Stark Prosthetic. He wants to do a tune-up on it."

Happy grunts, appeased by his answer. "If you hurt him, you're going to want to wish you were dead."

"Duly noted. I have no plans to hurt him."

They step off the elevator into a huge workshop. This room is probably bigger than Bucky's house! There are three big robots with arms that each seem to be assigned a different task. One of them is wielding a broom, another is by the sink, and the last one is in the corner with a dunce cap on. Bucky's eyes land on Tony. He's sitting at a table, soldering tiny pieces of something together. There's a boy about the age of 14 sitting beside him.

"You know, dad, it's _my_ school project. I should probably be doing that." The boy comments.

"Kid. Do you want an A+ on this? Let me get the really hard parts, then you can finish." 

The kid rolls his eyes and then spots Bucky and Happy. "Who are you?" 

"Hi, I'm Bucky Barnes to see Tony…" Bucky's voice trails. Tony looks up, blows, and turns off his tool. 

"Ah yes. Thank you Happy. I can take hi- it from here." Happy leaves, and Bucky just stands there awkwardly. 

"Hi! Bucky! Glad you came!" Tony wipes his hands on a rag. "Come here, and I can take a look at it."

Bucky acquiesces, nodding to the boy. "This is… your son?" **_I never knew he had one._**

The kid starts to laugh uproariously, clutching his middle. Tony chuckles, but when he sees Bucky's befuddled expression, he takes pity. "No, he's just a kid I befriended. He helped me out with something a year or so ago, so I let him play around in here sometimes. Bucky, meet Harley. Harley, Bucky. I'm going to take a look at his arm."

Harley shakes Bucky's hand. "He basically adopted me. My dad walked out on my mom like the lowlife he is so now I call Tones 'dad.'" 

"Understandable." Bucky turns to Tony for guidance. 

"Sit on the chair and remove your shirt, if you're comfortable with that." 

Bucky moves to pull his shirt off, but hesitates, knowing the scarring is ugly. **_Oh well, he showed me his. I'll show him mine._**

++++++++++

Tony was thrown off guard when Bucky arrived today. He's been stuttering about, trying to save face, but he can see Harley eyeing him. Now Bucky took his shirt off, and Tony's having a hard time concentrating on the job at hand. "Oh-okay. Alright. Uhhh… let me open the plates in your arm."

He can hear Harley quietly snicker, he knows his face is getting red, and Bucky seems to be growing more and more uncomfortable. He calls DUME over to hand him tools from the table. Harley scoots closer to watch what he's doing. 

Hmm… the parts are all… grating together. This arm should be self-lubricating! Tony groans. **_Something I gotta fix._** "Ok so I think I found the problem. I had designed this arm to self-lubricate, but there's something stuck. Am I hurting you at all?"

"No, it actually feels less painful than when I first came in here." Is Bucky's reply. 

"Ok good." After a good hour, Tony has Bucky's arm fully functional again. He had to switch out a couple parts and even rebuild the oil drip, but Bucky shouldn't have any more problems as long as he keeps the arm clean. "There you go. You shouldn't have any problems. If you do, however, keep a hold of that card, and I can fix it for you." 

"Thank you very much Tony. I appreciate it. Hopefully, we'll see each other again. Just not in this setting." **_Bucky has a lovely smile._** Tony is startled by that very loud thought. To keep from accidentally saying anything that might make the other man uncomfortable, he pleasantly extends his welcomes but gets Bucky out of his workshop. Once that is over, he heaves a relieved sigh. 

Harley laughs. "Ohh, you _like_ him!" 

"Shut up, squirt."


	6. Chapter 6

About four months go past - Bucky's not counting - and he hasn't gotten another appointment from Tony for a massage. He tries not to worry about it, but he can't seem to wonder why Tony wouldn't come back after the raving reviews he gave Loving Hands. He sits and mopes until his best friend has enough.

"Bucky. Enough. You need to get out." Steve throws his hands up in the air. He spins back around to face Bucky. "You know what? I'm showing some pieces at an art fair tonight, and Sam can't make it. You're coming with me." 

Bucky tries to say no, but he knows he's defenseless against Steve's "aww, shucks, buddy, c'mon" attitude. So that's why Bucky is standing behind a table in an uncomfortable suit. Steve is talking to someone who asked about a piece when Bucky hears a familiar voice. 

"Pep, light of my life, there you are." Tony Stark walks up to the woman. "Oh I'm sorry, didn't realize you were…" his voice trails off. He puts his hands behind his back and rocks on his heels. Giving off the appearance of someone who's trying _not_ to listen, he turns his body and starts scanning the walls. Bucky is surprised to see the recognition on his face when his gaze lands on Bucky's face. "Oh, Bucky! Nice to see you! It's been a while."

"Hello Tony. It has been a while. How have you been?"

"Busy. Extremely busy. We had a problem with a piece of tech so I was handling recalls. I totally meant to schedule another appointment with your heavenly hands… ok that sounds bad. I take that back. I meant to schedule an appointment with you, but time kept slipping away. Next time, I'll bring Pep, too. She deserves it." He nods to the redhead talking to Steve.

"Ok great! Please don't think I started this to get you to come back, but we are always happy to get returning customers. If you want, Wanda or Sharon can book couples massages…"

Tony laughs. "Pepper would kill me if I booked a couples massage for the two of us. She likes to remind people that we are definitely NOT together. Honestly, I'm relieved. I'm too afraid of her to want to be her boyfriend. _She knows too much!_ " He whispers theatrically. 

Bucky laughs but immediately sobers when he sees Steve and "Pepper" watching them. He coughs. "Uhhh… oh, Tony I would like you to meet my best friend Steve Rogers, who is the man behind these… arts…" He wants to smack himself in the face. "Steve, meet Tony Stark."

Tony takes Steve's hand, eyes sparkling. "Hello Steve. Can I say I do really like your… arts."

Steve throws back his head with a laugh. "Bucky is ever the articulate one. I was talking with Virginia here about a piece she wants for her office?"

"Pepper can make her own decisions. If I picked for her, it'd be the wrong one. Pep, wanna pick one for me, too, so you can look at it instead of my face?"

"Sure. Steve, can you show me what you have? I'll let these two catch up." She casts a pointed look at Tony. Pepper and Steve start a full-out conversation, ignoring the two standing awkwardly beside them.

"So… how's business been?" Tony asks.

"Good as always. Thank you for the glowing review. It's kind of funny how people flock somewhere after a celebrity has been there."

"Well, I'm glad I can use my status for good." Tony winks.

Pepper decides to take Steve to dinner to discuss a sale, making Tony and Bucky the tagalongs. They chat for hours, both of the latter realizing how much they had in common. They exclaim a little too loudly about classic rock, muscle cars, and space. 

Walking home, Steve nudges Bucky. "Sorry I was the 4th wheel tonight. Why didn't you tell me you and Tony Stark were dating?"

Bucky coughs, the question catching him off-guard. "We're not. We can't. Steve, I'm his _massage therapist_. Besides, this is like only the fourth time I have seen him."

"Well, you guys have some good chemistry. You should really consider it."

"He's so far out of my league and you know it." Bucky scoffs. "Now quit it. I don't want to talk about it." Steve doesn't know how much he really _wants_ to date Tony. If he thinks about it anymore, he won't want to get out of bed tomorrow. 

++++++

Tony made due on his promise to book another appointment. And he brought Pepper. But he's a little nervous. Pepper thinks he should ask Bucky out because they were "perfect for each other, Tony. And he totally likes you." 

Truth be told, he really enjoyed Bucky's presence the night of the art show. And the man sure isn't hard on the eyes. But what if Bucky doesn't like him? Would he really want to ruin the wonderful massage experience - the pure euphoria of it all - for the chance of a date? On the one hand, if Bucky said yes, Tony could be happy for the rest of his life, but on the other one, he might never be able to go back to Loving Hands which would be a tragedy in itself.

After his massage, he stiffens when Bucky says "You seemed really tight today. Something stressful going on?"

**_What do I do? Play cool? Lie about work?_** A voice that sounds scarily like Pepper says " ** _Just tell him_** _."_ "Umm, yea, I have a question for you. And I've been debating whether or not to ask you. It's just that…. Would you like to go on a date with me?" Bucky gives him a strange look. Oh crap. He's straight, isn't he? "Ah, actually, nevermind. You're clearly straight, and I made this weird. Let me just…"

"Tony." Bucky waits until Tony shuts up. "You do know that if we date, I can't do this anymore?" 

"Yes. I do, but I think we're pretty compatible, and I think we could be together forever. Well, you know, if that's what you want. If not, I can-I can still come here, just book someone else so you don't feel uncomfortable. I'm sorry; I totally screwed this up like I thought I would. I'll just…" He hops off the table, towel wrapped around his waist.

"Tony. I _do_ really like you, but I… we really shouldn't be talking about this here." Bucky sighs and runs his hand through his hair. "Can I take you out to dinner tonight?" 

"I can get rejected right here. While I'm naked. It's fine." Tony gestures to the room.

"The thing is. I don't know if I _am_ rejecting you. But it really isn't proper etiquette for a massage parlor. I'm sure you understand. Can we just do dinner or something? We just really have to talk it out and consider all points."

Tony immediately feels guilty. He doesn't want Bucky to get fired. "Oh yea. Yea. I didn't even think about that. I'm sorry. Yea. Where do you want to go?"

"How about Pacinto's on 8th? At 7?"

"I'll be there. Really, I'm sorry about dropping it on you here. That. Wasn't… sorry." Tony mumbles.

Bucky just smiles. "See you then. I will let myself out so you can dress."


	7. Chapter 7

**_Oh my gosh. Tony Stark wants to date ME. ME. This crippled… stop Barnes. But wow._** Bucky sits in his office dumbstruck. He knows his hair is a greasy mess by the amount of times he has run his unwashed fingers through it.

**_What am I gonna do? Am I really gonna date THE Tony Stark?_** "I got to call Sam." He murmurs.

Sam agrees to meet him for lunch. Bucky lets Wanda know he's stepping out. When he sits across the table from Sam at the local food court near him, Steve's boyfriend laughs, "What's gotten you up in a tizzy?"

"So um Tony Stark asked me out." Bucky needs to get that off his chest.

"Dude. He's your celebrity crush! That's awesome. And you're questioning this why?" Sam grins.

"He's more of a friend now, or, uh, client, than celebrity crush. So if I date him, and it goes wrong, I could lose a lot of good clientele. I can't ever massage him again."

Sam snorts. "Yes. You can. Just not for money. Dude you could touch _all_ of his body probably as much as you'd want."

"But what if it doesn't work out?"

"Do you _not_ want it to work out?" Sam queries.

"Of course I want it to!"

"Dude. Look. I don't want to tell you how to live your life, but honestly, live for today. You don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow." 

"Thanks Sam." He gets up to put his tray in the trash. Sam pulls him into a hug. 

"I'm happy for you, Buck. You won't mess this up. If you want, I can give him a scary shovel talk."

"Thanks. I'll be ok. Birdbrain." He finger guns as he walks away.

"Why did I come here again? Yeesh." Sam calls after him.

++++++

Tony and Pepper walk down the street after their massages. "You were right, Tone. That felt…" She groans. "Amazing."

"I told you! I told you it fel…" He trails off at the sight he sees behind Pepper. Through the window of the cafeteria, he sees Bucky talking to an African American man. **_Oh fu… of COURSE he has a boyfriend!_**

"Tony." Pepper touches his arm softly. "You don't know. He could be having lunch with a friend. I think you should see him tonight. Communicate." 

"Ok. Ok. I just… what if he's breaking up… I'd feel… come on. We don't want them to see us." He drags Pepper away from the window and calls Happy, who picks them up within minutes.

Tony arrives at Pacinto's at exactly 7. He's not surprised to find Bucky already seated. "Hello again." He says as he takes his seat.

Bucky shifts nervously, but keeps a smile on his face. "Hello again. Are you still feeling relaxed?"

"Yes. Pepper wouldn't let me go back to work. She was afraid I'd agree with anything anyone said, and she doesn't want to deal with damage control when I get back to my senses."

"She sounds like a smart woman, wise beyond her years."

"Well, when you have to deal with me that long… wow, I'm not making a good argument for myself am I?"

Bucky laughs. "No you are not. But that's ok. I think I will accept your proposal, I just want to be clear on a few things."

"I as well. Well, more like one thing." Tony sits up straight.

"Shoot."

"You don't… you didn't have a boyfriend, right?"

"No, I haven't dated since I lost my arm. Why?"

Tony lets out a huge sigh of relief. "Because, and I promise I wasn't spying on you or stalking you, but Pep and I were walking out, and I saw you eating lunch with a guy. You seemed close, and I just wanted to make sure I wasn't jumping in the middle of two people. I don't want to be a homewrecker."

"You already are. Isn't that what Marc Anthony said about you with JLo? I mean, Us magazine _doesn_ ' _t_ lie, right?" Bucky smiles delightedly when Tony lets out a loud laugh. "Seriously, though. Sam is my friend Steve's boyfriend. I was just asking him for advice. Steve thinks we hate each other, but we only act like that around him."

"You're a troll. I get it."

"So anyways, I just want to make sure we're on the same page about a few things before I decide." Bucky starts out, but Tony interrupts him.

"I'm sorry for bringing that up at your work. I don't want you to lose your job over me." 

Wait. Tony didn't know Bucky _owned_ the spa? "Tony, it's ok. I, I own the parlor. I'd only be able to fire myself. I just didn't want to get overheard and accidentally give my business a bad rep. It's all good though. So, the thing is, if we date, I can't massage you anymore. Well, and get paid anyways. And I have a fear that if we would break up at some point in the future, I would lose a lot of clientele because of it."

"I… didn't know you owned it. And I know that I couldn't employ you anymore. Also, no matter how we ended, I wouldn't put your business through the blender. I'm an honest businessman." 

Bucky sighs. "I know that. I just… have some insecurities. Sometimes I wake up and have phantom pains from the accident. And…"

"Bucky, I am willing to work through that all. I really like you and would like to spend most of my time with you. I did forget to mention, however, that my life is in the spotlight at least 75% of the time."

Bucky takes Tony's hands in his. "If you work through my problems, I'll work through yours." 


	8. Chapter 8

Working through each other's problems isn't easy. The first time Bucky sleeps over at Tony's, he punches Tony off the bed due to a nightmare. He is tossing and turning; then he sits up straight. Tony sits up to shake him awake, and Bucky instinctively punches him with so much force he falls off the bed. This action wakes Bucky up, and he apologizes profusely. Tony knows it was an accident, and he forgives Bucky. Tony learns to wake Bucky just by using his voice. Bucky has a fight-or-flight instinct, which doesn't bode well for those that wake him up. 

It sure is fun for Tony to explain the black eye to people. To Bucky's chagrin, this morning was the first day Tony's best friend, Col. James Rhodes gets home on leave from the Air Force. When Happy drops him off from the airport, Tony practically runs over to give him a long tight hug. "Rhodey! You're back! How long this time?"

"I've got a week and a half, then I'm gonna go see my mom. Geez, Tones! What happened to you?" Rhodey holds him at arms length to inspect the big black bruise. 

Tony grins sheepishly. "My fault. I got punched."

"By whom? Why?" 

"I accidentally punched him this morning." Bucky admits. 

Rhodey looks up, just noticing Bucky for the first time. "Accidentally? Who are you, and how did you 'accidentally' punch him in the eye?"

"Calm down Honeybear. He had a nightmare, and I stupidly tried to shake him awake. Rhodey, remember that stupidly hot masseuse - I know Bucky, incorrect term - I was gushing to you about? Well this is he. Bucky, meet my best friend in the whole wide world, Colonel James Rhodes, better known as Rhodey, Platypus, Honeybear, etc, etc."

"Pleased to meet you, Colonel. I've heard many good things about you." Bucky extends his hand.

Rhodey closes his eyes. And then opens them again. "So wait. You just hooked up with your massage therapist? Come on Tones, you're smarter than this."

"Shake his hand Rhodey. Don't be rude. And no, we did not just 'hook up'. Bucky and I have been dating for a little while now. He's no longer my massage therapist because I have learned some things in my life. We sat down and had a mature chat about relationships, and how this one would work, ok?"

"Ok…" Rhodey warily takes Bucky's hand. "You better treat him right, though." 

"Believe me, sir, I have no plans to hurt him. I'd much rather hurt myself." 

"Then you can call me Rhodey." He grins. "So Tones, what are the plans for today?"

++++++

When a lucky paparazzo catches a picture of Tony and Bucky kissing, gossip rags work overtime to find out who "Tony Stark's latest fling" is. Unluckily for Bucky, a woman by the name of Christine Everheart dug deep and found him. She wrote a scathing article about him, making sure to point out that he lost his arm in a drunk driving accident - implying that he was the drunk driver - and that he is the owner of the massage parlor that Tony used to go to. 

Bucky freaks out because his business is getting a bad rep. In the span of two weeks, he's had four "surprise" visits from government agencies to make sure he's not selling his massage therapists. Reporters don't have anything on his employees, but they find a way to drag Bucky's name through the dirt along with Tony. 

Tony apologizes repeatedly, getting his publicists to spin the stories in the right direction. He goes to visit Bucky at the parlor to pick him up for a press conference, and Wanda slaps him across the face. 

"You _knew_ this would happen!" She hisses. "And you're just letting him suffer. He _saved_ me and my brother, and you-you don't even _care._ "

"Wanda. Of course I care. I am doing _everything_ I can to sort this out. I think I love him."

"I don't believe you. All you people do is lie." She growls, ready to go on another rant when Bucky stops her.

"Wanda. It's ok. He's doing what he can." He runs his hand through his hair wearily. "I'm ready if you are." This he directs at Tony. 

Bulbs flash as they hurry to the waiting Audi. Happy tries to shield them as they climb in the backseat. Once on the road, Tony sneaks a glance at Bucky. "I am so so so so sorry. I didn't think they'd be like this."

"Hey. Hey. You worked through my problems; I'll work through yours. We have enough loyal clientele who can vouch for us. My only fear is… Tony, some of my employees came from a bad past. And I don't want them smeared all over the place. They trust me, and I want to protect them. I'd rather get sent through the shredder every day for the rest of my life than to have any of them feel unsafe to work with me."

"I understand. Jan is a queen at PR. I'm trusting her to get us on the right track. Do you trust me? I swear. I never thought it'd be this bad, or I wouldn't have brought you into this."

Bucky clasps Tony's shaking hands in his. "Tony. I know. I trust you completely. We'll be ok. They can't stop us. We're Princes of the Universe." He mentally fistpumps when Tony cracks a smile at his Queen reference.

"I know that people talk about me, I hear it every day, But I can prove them wrong 'cause I'm right first time." Tony mumbles. "Thanks Bucky. You're far more understanding than you should be."

Happy lets them out at the venue where Jan has called a press conference. After a few minutes of prep, Tony steps out on the stage, waving at all the reporters and cameramen. "Hello! Thanks for coming! Before we get started, I want to explain what this press conference is for. I have recently started dating one James Barnes, and we are here to answer some questions pertaining to our relationship. I would like to ask you to please be civil to him; he's not used to the spotlight." The reporters all chuckle.

Bucky walks out, waves, and takes the seat next to Tony. Tony takes his hand and addresses the crowd. "This is our official statement. Bucky and I first met when I went into his business for a massage. He gave me the best massage of my life so I kept going back. We coincidentally met at different places around the city, where we chatted and I became attracted to him and his beautiful personality. We did not, however, go on a date until we cleared that he could no longer be my therapist due to protocol. Unlike my former relationships, we actually sat down and had a serious, mature conversation about how this would or could go. That's why I think this will last. So please stop acting like Bucky is the devil himself and give him a chance. He's a lovely man with a lovely soul. Any questions?" Tony opens the floor to the reporters . He and Bucky together wade through the onslaught of questions. An hour later, Jan pushes through to thank everyone for their time, but "Mr. Stark must be leaving now." 

She gets in the car with them. "Oh my gosh. That was intense. I don't know why it's such a big deal, but they should back off of you guys. At least for now. Happy, can you drop me off at Hank's? Thank you, you're a dear." Jan keeps up the chatter until Happy arrives at her destination. "Bye Bucky. Tony, I'll talk to you soon." She kisses him on the cheek.

"Bye Wasp. Tell Hank I said hi." When Happy pulls away from the curb, Tony asks. "Did I ever tell you about Jan?"

"No, you guys seem to be close friends."

"Yea, her family comes from old money, the Van Dynes? We grew up together, and my mom tried to get us to date, but she's too much like my sister. She's got tons of money, but she wanted to do something with her life. She took college courses for PR and then offered to be my agent basically. I know she hates the spotlight so I agreed. She's one of the best out there."

"I'm glad you have her then. I like her."

Tony lays his head on Bucky's shoulder, pulling him into a side embrace. "Have I told you how much I love you recently? Because I do." 


	9. Epilogue

Tony gets home one day, tired and aching from a full week of hard work. Without saying a word, Bucky leads him over to the bed, strips him down, and starts to give him a massage. Tony's eyes roll back in his head, and he moans his pleasure loudly. 

"I'm so glad I decided to get that massage that day. No one told me that day would change my life."

"Is this massage as good as that one?" Bucky asks, smiling.

"Ugghhhhh… it's better. Soo much better. Bucky," Tony rolls to his back, cupping Bucky's face, "everyday with you is euphoric. Don't ever forget that." 

"Only because it's you with me," Bucky draws Tony in and kisses him soundly. Gosh, when did he become so cheesy?

**Author's Note:**

> Thank y'all for reading!


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